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Abstract: Computer games have come a long way not only as a form of entertainment, but also as a means for changing the world for the better. An increasing number of researchers, educators and even politicians now emphasize the value of using computer games with a purpose beyond entertainment, such as education, health and social change. This article is a study into one segment of these serious games: Social impact games. The aim is to answer the following questions: What methods do these computer games use to promote global awareness to their players? And how might the chosen modes, such as images, video, narrative and procedures, contribute to the games reaching their goal? In this study, seven computer games with a goal of promoting global awareness were analyzed. The method for analysis was inspired by Consalvo and Dutton's (2006) framework for analyzing computer games qualitatively, having a theoretical and methodological foundation within game studies, and inspired by multimodal analysis. Selected findings are presented in this article, centered on the following principles which emerged from the analysis: 1) Learning on the player's terms, 2) Meaningful choices, 3) Using real-world images and video, 4) Social mechanics. Based on this, the paper will then argue that research on computer games for global awareness should not necessarily pay attention mainly to game mechanics, as some of the main methods these games use are based on images, video and more linear narrative. Lastly, the paper briefly discusses the importance of leading players from awareness to action, as a facilitator for social change. The findings in this article aim at being helpful not only to researchers within the domain of social impact games, but also to serve as a resource for designers and developers of games with the aim of creating awareness and changes in the society.
Keywords: social impact games, serious games, global awareness, empathy, multimodality, game analysis
1. Social impact games: Background and theory
Much has happened to the computer game medium since the early 1940s when academics first began experimenting with simple computer games and simulations. An interesting aspect of this development is the rise of serious games, or games with a primary purpose other than entertainment. A segment of these games are dealing with political...